In the Tree
by Sky Astor
Summary: Whouffaldi. Twelve and Clara went on a walk and discovered a kitten sitting in the tree. The Doctor tries to save it...


**A/N:** Written for the Whouffaldi Fanfiction Countdown (Week 2 – till 22nd August)

Prompt: "It doesn't really look that sturdy! Come down from there!"  
The fic doesn't have to include this line

I haven't been feeling well recently… Hope that didn't leave its mark on the quality of my "writing skills".

Enjoy!

* * *

 **I n the Tree**

"And what exactly are we doing here?" the Doctor asked.

"We're on a walk, Doctor," Clara repeated while they were strolling through a lovely park near the flat she lived in.

"Is there a special reason for this?" he asked, confused as his eyes flickered around the surroundings.

He wasn't sure what this exactly meant. Was Clara playing a game with him? Was she trying to tell him something with this?

"Yes, I want to spend time with you," she said and her hand found his, fingers intertwined.

He looked down at their hands and his lips curled into a faint smile.

"Okay," he whispered as he unknowingly reduced the distance between their bodies.

"Okay? No more questioning or arguing that we could spend time together somewhere else - on another planet or in another time where it's more interesting?" she giggled while she was proud on her small victory.

"No, no... Everything's fine as long as I can spend some time with you," he replied and his sincere words surprised them both – he rarely said things like this aloud.

Clara gave him a shy smile and they kept on walking, enjoyed each other's company.

The sky above them was filled with clouds and a breeze caressed their cheeks now and then, but neither of them was cold.

x

After quarter an hour, maybe later, the sound of meowing caught their attention as they were walking past one the trees.

Clara looked up and her eyes discovered the source of sound right away.

"Oh, look! There's a ginger kitten up there," Clara stated.

"Poor thing."

"Something might have scared it," the Doctor said.

"We should get it down before it falls."

Clara was surprised by his immediate interest… And it was amusing too. The Doctor – cat rescuer.

"Shouldn't we call someone to help?" she asked and her eyes wandered to the Time Lord.

"Pff! I can do that," he proclaimed.

"I meant some professionals!"

"I am a professional!" he replied as he scuttled to the trunk.

"Here we go," Clara sighed.

"I'm saving whole worlds Clara – this is nothing," he sounded convincing, but that didn't stop her from thinking that this wouldn't end well.

Clara went a bit closer and watched him climb the tree - swiftly and with childish enthusiasm as the wood creaked under his weight. It was too late to persuade him to come down because once he took into his head to do something, there was no way of stopping him.

In a moment, he was up in the same height as the little kitten who was balancing almost at the end of the branch.

"Just be careful, yeah? It really doesn't look that sturdy," Clara called from the ground, worrying about him.

"I almost got it - will be right back, Clara!" he called back as he sat astride on the branch.

He moved a bit closer to the middle, stretched his hands out towards the cat and tried to lure it to him. The fluffy creature only sniffed at his finger, but remained in place, so he moved even closer. Then he finally managed to grab the scared kitty with his hand and he petted its head lightly.

Clara smiled a little, but the fear didn't leave her as he was about to return to the ground. He stood up and tried to climb down - chose the faster way and jumped from one branch to another with the kitten in his hands, but one of the last ones broke under him and he fell down.

"Doctor!" Clara cried out.

The remaining branches under him slowed his fall down.

He landed on his back/side and the ginger kitten escaped his hand immediately and ran away a few paces to a safer distance.

"Are you alright?!" she asked, kneeling beside him with one hand on his chest and the other on his shoulder.

Eyes shut, he groaned and his face grimaced in pain of the impact.

"Yes, I am... See, told you I could make it," he joked.

"You're an idiot," she shook her head and her second hand moved to his head to stroke his hair lightly.

His eyes opened again and he wanted to tell her something like that it was on purpose, but the hand in his locks stopped him and he just gazed into her dark eyes.

Her hand moved lower to his face, sending a shiver down his spine right as it made contact with his flushed cheek that she caressed with her thumb.

"You've got a few grazes on your face."

"I know," he whispered, "The twigs whipped my face as I flew down."

"At least you're fine and don't have any fractures."

"I'll be more careful next time," he replied and slowly sat up to assure her he's okay.

She smiled shyly and put her hands on her knees, not knowing that the Doctor missed the contact right away just as she did.

Before they could say something, the kitten came back and jumped onto his lap.

"Well, at least you've saved it," she petted the ginger kitty that purred in response.

"Did you expect anything else, Clara?"

"No, I expected exactly this," she giggled.

He shook his head and brought his hand to the kitten too, only to have a reason for brushing his fingers against hers.

"Did you see my professional landing, though?" he asked with a little smile to amuse her.

"Couldn't unsee it," she chuckled.

"I didn't even squash the rescued soul," he bragged.

"Well done."

They kept on sitting there together under the tree, playing with the kitten for a little while. The Doctor eyes occasionally flickered over to Clara's face to see her beautiful smile.

"Come on, let's go back, Doctor," she squeezed his hand briefly and they got to their feet.

The kitten meowed and made its way home.

"I think we should do this more often," the Doctor responded, taking her hand and not letting go off it as they walked back.

* * *

Thanks for reading. :)


End file.
